Friends and Enemies
by lamb-becomes-the-lion
Summary: Nate and Sterling may not hate each other as much as people think. ONE-SHOT!


_**Warning:**__ M/M (Don't like? Then don't read!)  
__**Disclaimer:**__ All rights belong to the owners. I own nothing and no money is being made._

_**Rating: **__T. For sexual situations and course language._

_**A/N:**__ So a friend introduced me to this show and while watching the first two seasons I saw the potential for a slash pairing. Please read, review, and enjoy!_

_**xXxXxXx**_

"_Do you remember when we were friends? After work we'd come up here, have a drink, watch the sunset."_

"_We were never friends, Sterling."_

"_So the answer to my question would be 'no'."_

Nate sat, alone, in his office and tried to pretend that he and Sterling hadn't run into each other again. He had deluded himself into thinking that he and Sterling would never cross paths again. That he wouldn't have to deal with his former colleague and friend. Despite what he'd said to Sterling, to his team, he had been Sterling's friend. And part of him, the part that still considered itself noble and just, missed his friend.

He snorted as he sipped his scotch. He couldn't delude himself into think he and Sterling had ever just been friends. Meeting everyday after work, wherever they could, had been more than friendship. He knew when he left IYS that he'd hurt Sterling. That severing all connections to his old life had caused Sterling unimaginable pain. He also knew that if he had just leaned on Sterling, had let Sterling help him grieve then maybe things would have been okay.

But it had been his grief that had caused him to leave.

He'd turned his back on IYS, his ex-wife and on Sterling.

He could live with all the rest, but abandoning Sterling had hurt a lot more than he'd ever admit.

He had just started to down the rest of his scotch when his phone rang. Without thinking or checking the caller id he answered. "Ford," he said by way of greeting, thinking it was probably just one of the team.

"Hello, Nate."

The smoky voice that belong to the one and only Jim Sterling sounded in his ear and old memories suddenly surfaced. Memories of nights when he'd lie to Maggie and tell her something had come up on a case and he had to run out. Nights he'd spent with Sterling. "How the hell did you get my number," he said, not surprised really. Sterling was overly resourceful when he wanted to be.

"Now Nate," Sterling said, and Nate could almost see the man's cheeky smile. "You have your ways and I, well, I have mine."

"Go to hell, Sterling," Nate fired back, leaning back in his chair and wishing he'd not bothered to answer the phone. "I'm tired and this conversation is making me exhausted."

"Nathan," Sterling said in a tone of voice that made Nate shiver. Like a full, all over body shiver. "I just wanted to inform you that I am currently in possession of your cell phone."

Nate stiffened, and then proceeded to search his pockets and desk for his phone. "You son of a bitch," he growled, getting to his feet. "Where the hell are you?"

"At our spot. And I'll only be here for another thirty minutes so if you want your phone I suggest you come get it."

Sterling hung up and Nate cursed as he slammed the phone down. Shrugging into his jacket he tore out of the office, managing to reach what Sterling called _'their spot' _in under twenty minutes. He was panting heavily and glaring at Sterling. "Alright, Sterling," he snarled, feeling agitated at having lost his phone and having Sterling be the one to find it. "I'm here, now give me my damn phone."

"Now Nate, that's harsh," Sterling said as he smiled calmly. "Here I am, trying to create new bridges and you light them on fire before I even have brick laid."

"Maybe you should build bridges with someone else."

"Nate, I'm hurt," Sterling said, looking genuinely hurt. "We were so close."

"That was before IYS let my son die."

"Nate."

Nate knew where this was heading and he quickly cut across whatever the man was saying. "I don't want to hear it," he snarled, glaring at Sterling. "I want you to hand me my fucking phone and then I'm going to leave."

Sterling sighed as he reached in his pocket and pulled out Nate's phone. "I really was hoping this was a sign that we could be friends again."

"We were never friends," Nate repeated his earlier words, moving forward and grabbing a hold of his phone, but Sterling didn't let go.

"You're right," Sterling replied. "We weren't friends." Nate frowned in confusion. After all these years now Sterling decided to agree with him? "We were better than that."

Before Nate could think, before he could process that, Sterling was shoving him against the nearest wall, mashing their lips together. Nate let out a surprised sound even as Sterling's hips rocked against him. Sterling's tongue dragged lazily over his bottom lip and a hand travelled up his arm and down his chest. Memories of nights spent with Sterling, nights he'd tried hard to forget, came flooding back to Nate and he let go of his phone in order to grab Sterling by the shoulders and pull the man closer.

Sterling let out a satisfied sound as he pressed a thigh between Nate's, revelling at the wonderful noise that burst from Nate's throat. When they finally broke apart, mainly for breath, they stared at each other. Panting and gasping. Aching for more but not certain what was allowed anymore.

"I want you," Sterling whispered, as though to voice his need would be far too much for Nate to handle. "I've always wanted you, Nate."

Nate let out a low sound. "Why," he whispered, wishing he could focus on something asides from Sterling's body pressing insistently against his. "Why do you want me? I'm not the man you knew."

"See that's the thing," Sterling said, tipping his head forward until his forehead rested against Nate's. "You've changed. But so have I. We're not the same men we were, but I think that's what's going to make us a better team than before."

"We're not a team, Sterling," Nate said, wishing he could ignore the way Sterling's eyes blazed with desire and love. The desire he could handle, but love was different. The people who loved him always got hurt. "Not anymore."

"We can be," Sterling whispered, lips brushing gently over Nate's. "Either come back to my side…or I'll join yours."

Nate's eyes widened. Was Sterling serious? The look in those stunning eyes said he was but Nate wasn't so sure. "You couldn't be a thief," he said after a few minutes of silence. "You don't have it in you. You're too noble. And you like the money IYS pays you."

"It was never about the money," Sterling said, shaking his head. "It was about you. You'd achieve something so I had to achieve something. You did good, I had to do good. Just to grab your attention. And guess what, darling? It worked."

Nate chuckled, remembering the first time Sterling had thrown it in his face that he'd made a bust Nate hadn't been able to. He also remembered what had happened after Sterling had done that. "You always knew the best way to grab my attention."

"Course I do, love," Sterling said, hand trailing down Nate's body to grope lightly at Nate's erection, which was pressing rather insistently against the man's zipper. "Now, unless you really want this to be a quick and messy, I suggest we head back to either your place or mine. Which ever would make you more comfortable."

Nate let out a soft sound, hips rocking against Sterling's hand. "My place is closer," he panted, reaching up to pull Sterling into another kiss.

When they broke apart for air Sterling's eyes were full of desire and love, his hand continuing to grope Nate. "Your place it is then," he said, smiling that damned cheeky smile that drove Nate crazy.

_**xXxXxXx**_

_**A/N:**__ There, finished. Hope that wasn't too bad or anything. As stated above, please review. Your reviews feed the plot bunnies and I can assure you that the plot bunnies are very hungry._


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